


a spark (becomes an explosion)

by scoobiedoo



Category: Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen, Naruto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:41:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29229411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scoobiedoo/pseuds/scoobiedoo
Summary: Shikako claps her hands and says brightly, “We’re in Konoha.”A pause. "It’s just notourKonoha.”Sasuke groaned as if in agony.“It’s not my fault we’re in this alternate universe! Well, not entirely, Sensei’s the one who threw the Hiraishin dagger at the seal!”Sasuke groans a louder, Shikako protests some more and Kakashi despairs a bit more.Which is, of course, how they’re found.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Nara Shikako, Nara Shikako (DoS) & Haruno Sakura (Naruto), Nara Shikako (DoS) & Hatake Kakashi (Naruto), Nara Shikako (DoS) & Nara Shikaku (Naruto)
Comments: 39
Kudos: 539
Collections: Dreaming of Sunshine Exchange 2020 C (Winter Round!), Heliocentrism — a Dreaming of Sunshine recursive collection





	a spark (becomes an explosion)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Narial](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narial/gifts).



“Okay, so I have good news and bad news,” Shikako says brightly, “which one would you like to hear first?”

Sasuke looks up wearily — _wearily_ because experience has taught him that is the only appropriate reaction to have when Shikako uses that tone — from where he’s redoing the bandages around his ankles and wills himself to say: “Bad news first.”

“No, you’re getting the good news first,” Shikako says, clapping her hands cheerfully before continuing, “We’re in Konoha.”

Kakashi nods from her left, where he’s been too tense to relax and even pretend to read his _Icha Icha_. No one can argue Kakashi hasn’t developed patience, because he barely reacts when Shikako continues with, “It’s just not _our_ Konoha.”

Sasuke groaned as if in agony.

“It’s not my fault we’re in this alternate universe! Well, not entirely, Sensei’s the one who threw the Hiraishin dagger at the seal!”

Sasuke groans louder, Shikako protests some more and Kakashi despairs a bit more.

Which is, of course, how they’re found.

**——**

They’re put in separate cells, taken in forcefully when the ANBU who had found them and refused to listen to their story, citing Sasuke a traitor, Shikako an unknown ( _unknown:_ _potential missing-nin/ infiltrator”_ is what Towa had signed to Dolphin) and Kakashi as an unknown as well (“ _missing-nin: henge”_ is what Komachi had deemed Kakashi as, but that had triggered a rushed argument when Beetle replied with _“suspect: traitor”_. Shikako was pretty sure she saw Komachi sneak the middle finger in at one point during the argument. _)_

Morino Ibiki knows that in a situation like this it is best to start with the known variable, the area you have the most knowledge in. Try and establish rapport with the prisoner and ensure compliance. Then you move on to the unknown variables. Except he knows this _isn’t_ Kakashi Hatake because Kakashi Hatake is currently at Training Ground 7, at the Memorial Stone. So he decides to go with the next best tactic; know more about who the person in the room, catch them in the act, and get them to tell you _everything_.

Naturally, he goes and interrogates ‘ _Kakashi Hatake’_.

He gets compliance, and he gets answers (“ _A mission gone wrong. Maa, you know my cute little genin have a penchant with trouble”_ ) what he doesn’t get is an act— this is Kakashi Hatake, just not the one he’s familiar with.

He interrogates 'Sasuke Uchiha' next, who shows nothing but loyalty: to Konoha, to his team, to his sensei and to this girl, _Shikako_ , he calls her.

“Hello,” Ibiki says, tone mild as he enters “ _Shikako Nara’s_ ” cells, the girl looks up from where she’s tracing something into her palms. Her eyes are watchful, almost weary, as he sits down on the other side of the interrogation table, “coming back from the dead is quite the feat, _Nara_ -san”

She smiles, a twist of her lips that is as self-deprecating as it is exasperated, but the words that come out of her mouth hold wry amusement, “Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

He looks at her blankly and she winces, “Okay, so-”

Forty minutes later he walks into the Jounin Commander’s office with news about his dead daughter.

**——**

What Shikako doesn’t know is that Sasuke had been the one to insist that they don’t do a mind walk on her. He had volunteered, his tone was neutral (but Ibiki was good enough at his job to know it was practically a plea), that they do it to him (not Shikako). Inoichi had come in and had mind walked _not-traitor_ Sasuke. He had seen the memories of a boy (Naruto) who goaded Sasuke — _friendfamilyfriendteammatebrother_ his mind said — memories in which he complained about the other's obsession with ramen but felt grateful when his _friendfamilyfriendteammatebrother_ gave him a carton of tomatoes on his birthday and called him ‘ _teme_ ’ _._ Inoichi saw of a sensei who eye smiled more often than this one did, who understood him, who had given him a chakra saber, passed down the Hatake heirloom to him, and helped him use his family’s legacy when there was no family left to teach him.

He saw memories of a girl who is dead. A baby he saw his teammate bury and mourn; he sees her use a replacement tag, sees her protect her friends and family when they could not do so for her, not in this life. He sees her laugh and smile, mouth wide open and eyes joyous, when she could not live to do so in this life, not without choking on air and crying tears of pain.

He sees a dead girl walking.

 _Shikabane-hime_ , Sasuke’s mind whispers.

**——**

Shikaku walks in on day three. Shikako looks up from the notes she has open in her lap, over which she had cast a genjutsu, and quickly tucks them into hammerspace, expression sheepish when his eyes meet hers. He pauses, eyes amused for a millisecond before something overtakes them ( _grief_ , Shikako’s mind supplies her, _longing_ ) and shakes his head and says lightly, “Trouble.”

“I resent that,” Shikako says, as he takes a seat across her, “You say that back home too. And Shika always calls me _troublesome._ ”

“Do I?” Shikaku asks, tone even, even as there’s a pang in his heart. “Guess some things are just universal.”

She gives him a neutral smile, watching him carefully, trying to gauge what might do next and what the box in his hands is and “Oh.”

It’s a shogi board. And one she recognizes. The Nara (especially the clan head’s family) had a tradition wherein they would make ‘beginner’ shogi boards for every newborn. The board Shikaku has with him is made of cedar wood (from a tree in the Nara forest) and has cute little engravings at the borders. The main engraving is of two small fawns facing one another, one with a buck next to it and another with a doe. Under the fawn on the right is a carving of her name in kanji. Shikako recognizes this board because it’s the earliest board she played shogi on, the one her father used to teach her. Except where her board was well worn this one is new; untouched and polished.

Despite the nostalgia the board brings, she’s more worried than anything. This man has no experience of raising her, has no memories of her and owes her nothing. This man is not ‘Dad’, he is the Jounin Commander, and her life has taught her that his first move is the most dangerous.

_What’s your move, Dad?_

“Your identity as,” Shikaku says, making her look at him. His voice betrayed nothing but there is a _pit-pat_ flinch in his chakra, “as Shikako Nara has been confirmed. This is an interrogation for information.” He places the gold general, the piece he had purposefully left out, with a soft click before looking up, and says simply. Honestly.

“I’d like to play a game of shogi you, Shikako.”

**——**

After a long interrogation, and two shogi matches, they’re released. She’s told them everything she knows, figures just cause it’s not _her_ Konoha doesn’t mean it's not _a_ Konoha. Sometime in-between telling Shikaku what she knows about the Akatsuki and what she knows about Orochimaru she makes the decision to tell them everything she can.

Even though they’re not her people and even though they don’t know her, Shikako looks at Shikaku’s supportive face and the concerned furrow of his brow and she feels a weight lifted.

No matter how small, her burden is lightened.

**——**

Shikako, Sasuke and Kakashi are on being escorted to where they'll be detained under surveillance. Shikako's looking around casually, trying to see if there are any noticeable differences when she spots a man with red-framed glasses and black spiked hair _(and would you look at that, she had forgotten how he would run a hand through his hair when he gossiped)_ sitting on a plastic chair in front of a small store that sells _Ikayaki_. An image comes, unbidden, superimposed over this one of the man alive _(alive!)_ and laughing. The image is of her version of _him_ hung up like a pig for slaughter, throat cut and bleeding.

Aoba’s laugh pulls her out of her daze.

They walk onwards, she tucks her hands into the pockets of her flak jacket, ignoring how they shake and concentrates on not turning her head back.

**——**

The three of them are released on a provisional basis. They stay at the Nara house.

Shikako and Sasuke appreciate the comfort and normalcy it provides them, although neither fool themselves to thinking that there aren't several ANBU watching over them. Kakashi, however, maintains his typical air of cool nonchalance and awkwardness. Although, he doesn't hesitate in questioning Shikako's parents about the differences in both worlds.

“So Sakura’s on my team?” Kakashi asks and Shikaku nods in confirmation. The answer prompts a feeling of discomfort in Sasuke and acceptance from Shikako (who Sasuke thinks is taking this far too lightly for someone who found out they’re dead in this universe).

"It makes sense she would've been kunoichi of the year if I wasn't," Shikako says sagely, “I can see it. Sakura’s well on her way to surpass Tsunade-sama in medical jutsu and, frankly, no team needs a medic ninja more than Team 7.” And then, almost as an afterthought, she remarks lightly while looking at the notes she has spread open in her lap, “it’d be like the second coming of the Sannin.”

Sasuke paused, “Does that mean I’m the Orochimaru in tha **—** ”

Shikaku coughs violently.

**——**

They sneak out of their rooms at three am on the second day of staying with Shikaku and Yoshino, the fifth in this world. One thing ANBU had taught them was how to move undetected, which makes it easier for them to meet for a ‘information recon session’ without waking up her parents (and only her parents, considering Shikamaru was gone for a mission.)

“I left to train with Orochimaru,” Sasuke says, eyes distant.

Shikako shares a glance with Kakashi. Is Sasuke thinking of what advantages he would’ve gotten if he’d gone to Orochimaru? Is he regretting trusting Shikako? Listening to her words? Does he regret staying in Konoha?

Kakashi and Shikako sit in silence for a minute, waiting for him to continue. When he stays silent even when prompted, Kakashi changes the subject, “Tensions are a lot less with Iwa. The fact your father managed to take out the time he did when he’s as busy as he is in our wo-”

“It makes sense.” Shikako cuts in, expression blank. “Well, you know butterfly theory.”

They stare at her assessing; both cautious and careful, Kakashi visibly more so than Sasuke. She wonders if he thinks of his father when he remembers Shikako and the Jashin mission. Does he draw parallels between the two? Sakumo with his chakra saber and Shikako with her ‘lighting saber’, the _Sword of the Thunder God_? Both ninja with a promise to devote themselves to Konoha?

Feeling uncomfortable, she hastily tacks on, “The theory says one small incident can have a big impact on the future. A butterfly flapping its wings causes a tornado. A ripple grows to become a wave.”

Shikako tries to change the topic (and divert their attention away from her, _thank you_ ), “Naruto still went on his training trip with Jiraiya-sama, though, so some things stay the same.” Then with a playful glance at Kakashi, "I'm pretty sure you're still Gai-sensei's _'Eternal Rival'_?"

They go on to discuss other differences, including Kakashi mentioning how the Jackal ANBU’s chakra seems exactly like Yugao’s but he couldn’t seem to locate Hayate’s, who was almost always there with her on surveillance missions. She suspects it was a purposeful bait from Kakashi to get for confirmation, which he accepted grimly when the chakra of said ANBU quivered like the string of a bow being pulled taut, stretched seconds before being snapped. Sasuke mentioned Yoshino’s neutral-to-slight-dislike when Naruto was brought up _(“her daughter, other me, died in the Kyuubi attack, duh, Sasuk-”)_ as well as how Inoichi seemed shocked when he went through Sasuke’s memories of Ino.

It’s when they're leaving that Kakashi stops Shikako, his hand hovers awkwardly over her shoulder. He is looking slightly to the side so he doesn’t make eye contact with her. He is as unsure as he always is when trying to comfort her but his words are resolute when he says, “Whatever happened out there in Hot S-”

Shikako cut him off, letting out a breath of air, not looking at him. “Sensei, you read the mission report.” She closes her eyes, and says more firmly, “I wasn’t anywhere near Hot Springs.”

“I know what the report says very well,” Kakashi says, “I know my student better.”

He tilts his head so he can look her in the eye.

“Just know it’s not your fault.”

**——**

Shikako will be the first to admit she's been avoiding Sakura. Sakura had come to see them every day, and interacted with them every day (unlike this version of Kakashi who just stares and observes them from behind his Icha-Icha). The conversations between them are hesitant, a fine dance of tiptoeing around another. Shikako wants to _help,_ but, she's never been very good with people. That was always more of Ino's forte.

How is she supposed to comfort this version of Sakura? Who either hates Shikako and think's Shikako's taken her spot on the team or hates herself because Sasuke's here with Shikako and not her? She snaps out of her musings when she senses Sakura's chakra hone in on her, moving towards where she's sitting at the area where the house's garden and the Nara forest meet.

Sakura sits down next to her. They sit in silence, Shikako isn’t sure how much time passes, just feels thoughts and unspoken words heavy in the air between them.

“No ones at fault, we're from different universes,” Shikako blurts when she can’t stand it anymore. She keeps her eyes trained on the flutter of the leaves in the tree canopy above her. “Just so you know.”

Sakura doesn't say anything in reply to Shikako waits her to say something and, god, it would be great if she fell asleep and we didn't have to talk about it. She risks a glance and Sakura's looking up at the tree too, eyes wide open.

“I didn’t mean-,” Sakura starts to say. “I mean, it-. Really, it’s not-.”

She lets out a frustrated breath, announcing, "It's hot." Like _it's hot_ is the source of all her problems.

"I could braid your hair." Shikako says unthinkingly, forgetting Sakura has short hair, realizes and meets Sakura's confused gaze, "It'd look nice."

“Okay,” Sakura says, holding her gaze, and it feels like more than a simple agreement.

She's on her second small braid, when Sakura says, "I was never a combat specialist like Sasuke and Naruto," A deep breath, "I always felt like I was left behind, they would always compete with each other and not me. I always thought that I was sort of excluded, I might not be a strong as they are bu-"

Sakura's hands curl up into fists, her next words a daring Shikako to disagree with her, "But they're my team. My team might not be here now but we'll fight together someday. When I finally get strong enough."

"I see," Shikako nods.

"Do you?"

Shikako doesn't reply for a second, collecting her thoughts. She stares at the first skinny crooked braid she's made in Sakura's pink hair.

"Look, people have different strengths. Mine's seals and my clan jutsu and Naruto's has shadow clone jutsu and yours, yours is your medical jutsu. You're going to be a great medical ninja." Shikako swallows, she feels like someone's slammed into her gut. "We may be as different but-"

Shikako stops thinking, then continues, "There is one thing we do share, the certainty that we'll make our own place in our world."

_(And we will both stand with our teammates)_

“Shikako?” Sakura asks, trying to turn further around and wincing.

Shikako realizes her fingers have tightened in Sakura's hair.

“Well,” Shikako says, swallowing past the thickness in her throat and relaxes her fingers. “While we’re confessing things, there’s something about me you should probably know.”

“Yeah?” Sakura says warily.

“Yeah. I’m horrible at braiding other people's hair.”

Sakura blinks, looking like an owl, before she laughs.

Breathing out, Shikako finishes Sakura's third terrible, crooked braid.

_("I can see why Sasuke liked you enough to stay." Sakura smiled at her, "I like you too.")_

**——**

This Kakashi can’t be him.

Kakashi Hatake knows his team. He has Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. The team has as many flaws as every predecessor team 7 but they’re just as talented. Or they will be. Now he’s met the three-fourths of an alternate team arrangement _(one-third of which calls herself ‘corpse princess’ all things considered it’s not so much as a joke as it is ironic)_ and he fails to see what makes the team so different.

This team is more combat-based, they seem to specialize in stealth and strategy as opposed to heavy attack and one-after-the-other attacks like his Team 7 does. This team has a budding seal master whereas his team has a budding medical specialist. This team had Sasuke- in Konoha. And he’s good, his chakra is suppressed well, in what he worryingly recognizes as classic ANBU technique and _he_ seems so at ease.

This team has _Him_. Or other him (Him).

His alternate self is so at ease, the eyes he sees on his own face have more crow’s feet than his do and shoulder are hunched in the way Kakashi does when he’s amused and holding in laughter. He watches from the shadows as the other him absently pulls out three cups and places them on the counter, dropping three cubes of sugar in one of them, absently moving so Sasuke could pour the coffee into the cups. Shikako joins them, the causal navigation effortless, it’s like they’re dancing.

He doesn’t get what makes them so different.

He watches Sasuke smirk into his cup of freshly brewed coffee as he says something that makes other him snort and Shikako gasp in mock offense even as she somehow pulls out tissues from thin air _(which what)_ to give to Kakashi.

He doesn’t get what makes them so different.

But he wants to know.

**——**

Here’s the thing, Shikako feels the most nervous around Shikaku.

Shikaku Nara, regardless of which universe, is a genius strategist. She doesn't fool herself to think that the only reason he played shogi with her was sentimental, or that it was even the main one. She knows it was because he could psychoanalyze her; get to know how she thought, what she might do, what her next move is, if she was a threat or not based on whether she moved her silver general left or her knight forward.

It's just he looks like her _dad_.

He looks so much like her dad. His chakra feels like her dad. He plays shogi like her dad. He laughs like her dad. Rationally, she knows this isn’t good for him. He’s buried his Shikako, but he looks at her with these thoughtful, longing eyes and Shikako sees that expression on her dad' _s_ face, and before she knows it she has a quip on the tip of her tongue and a hand stretched out, asking _do you want to play shogi or feed the deer?_

(The line isn’t blurred per se but it’s not straight cut either.)

Even though he hasn’t raised her and he isn’t the man who calls her ' _deerheart'_ and he's not the one she sought out in times of stress or after a fight with Shikamaru; even though he’s welcomed her into his home (maybe) less because she’s his daughter and (maybe) more because she’s a threat. Even though he's cautious and he would kill her the second she becomes a threat (he _is_ the Jounin Commander) she inexplicably _trusts_ him.

This Shikaku Nara may not be her dad, but he will always be Shikako Nara's father.

She figures this out when she wakes up tucked in bed after somehow being comfortable enough around him to fall asleep.

**——**

Shikako’s been trying to chase him down, but Kakashi is one slippery guy.

Years of working as a stealth ninja paired with a natural avoidance of people had led to Kakashi being a master at evading people, this version of him even more so.

Which is why it’s a surprise when he’s the first to say something.

“Now, Shikako-chan,” Kakashi says cheerfully. “How can I help you?”

Shikako looks at him, completely deadpan. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”

Kakashi looks up from his Icha-Icha and gasps theatrically, mouth open to make what Shikako _knows_ is a smart ass remark and _she does not have the time for this_. She pulls out a wad of paper from her hammerspace and thrusts it into his arms, “Here.”

Kakashi blinks slowly at the papers that are now in his hand. Hesitantly, as though they were explosion notes, he grabs the edge of one, carefully looking at the sheet. Both familiar and unfamiliar characters are on the sheet, symbols and words bordering a triangle that is enclosed in a circle with the word “overlay” penned in the center. “What is this?”

Shikako looks at him carefully, “I made this for Kakashi sensei.”

Kakashi looks at her uncomprehendingly, she continues, “It’s a rework of a seal I made. To clip a henge onto the user.” She looks at her hands, “Originally I made it to throw off a couple of my sempai’s when they were trying to follow me to team training. I clipped a henge on Lee to look like me so they followed him to training with Gai-sensei.”

That earns her a startled laugh, and Shikako goes on, now more confident, “I reworked it by adding a loop condition. It’ll hold a henge by cycling the chakra you use when you initially henge, which it makes it harder to break the genjutsu.”

“Now sensei uses it so he doesn’t have to worry about his mask when he eats with the rest of the team.”

Kakashi nods slowly as Shikako gives him a small smile, “I hope you’ll use it here too.”

She turns away, and it’s when she’s not looking at him he has the courage to ask, “So he’s a good sensei.”

Shikako pauses.

“He’s our sensei,” she says simply. Thinks of what to say and then, “He’s _our_ sensei. So he’s good for us.”

A quick look over her shoulder, “Just like you're good for them.”

_(He gets what’s so different about them.)_

**——**

They leave.

**——**

There are five people in the Hokage’s office.

There are five people who are discussing the best way to utilize a wealth of information they have been given from a dimension traveling team. Each has different opinions, some converging and others diverging at various points although all of them can agree that, “things are different from where they’re from.”

Tsunade nods, absentmindedly taking a sip from her cup, “how can they be so different? They have alliances we do not have and ninja we have lost. They have information we didn’t know and important information at that too.”

Inoichi nods from his place by Ibiki, but before he can say anything his teammate does.

“Have you heard of the butterfly effect, Hokage-sama?” Shikaku asks, tone wistful. When Tsunade looks at him deadpan, he continues with a slight smile, “The butterfly effect is the idea that small things can have non-linear impacts on a complex system. Simple systems, with few variables, can nonetheless show unpredictable and sometimes chaotic behavior because of one small change.”

“Like a butterfly flapping its wings and causing a typhoon.” Shikaku closes his eyes and remembers a girl with ink smudged on her fingers and eyes that burned with a will of fire, “or a spark growing larger and larger till it causes an explosion.”

 _Yes,_ he thinks of Shikako Nara _, that’s what it was._

_A spark and an explosion._

**Author's Note:**

> not me rushing to finish this in the last 12 hours, because i couldn't complete the hp/dos fic i wanted to do. anyways i hope you guys like the fic! 
> 
> (might actually post the hp/dos crossover when i get around to finishing it)


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